Department Of Cultural Affairs

February 5, 2025

Huge cultural hub with galleries, performance spaces, new library opens in Fort Greene

Some of Brooklyn's most influential arts and cultural institutions have a new home in the heart of Fort Greene. L10 Arts and Cultural Center officially opened last week, bringing a 65,000-square-foot facility with gallery and performance spaces for the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), cinemas for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 Arts, and a new Brooklyn Public Library branch to 10 Lafayette Street. The center sits within the mixed-use tower 300 Ashland Place, which opened in 2017.
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August 7, 2024

These vibrant artworks will brighten up NYC scaffolding

Unsightly scaffolding and sidewalk sheds in New York City are getting a makeover. The city unveiled eight pre-approved vibrant artworks available to building owners looking to transform the green eyesores into platforms for beautiful public art. Overseen by the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), the City Canvas program aims to improve the pedestrian experience and provide local artists an opportunity to display their work in prominent locations.
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March 29, 2024

$24M revamp of Lower East Side’s Nuyorican Poets Café is underway

The Nuyorican Poets Café, a beloved performance space on the Lower East Side for half a century, is undergoing a $24.1 million transformation. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Design and Construction on Thursday kicked off the project, which will renovate and expand the cultural institution's lobby, add new performance spaces and offices, improve accessibility, and perform extensive repairs on the building's exterior. Designed by Rice+Lipka Architects, the reconstruction project is slated for completion in spring 2026.
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January 3, 2024

NYC wants artists to spice up sidewalk sheds and construction fencing

New York City is seeking artists to help beautify sections of unattractive sidewalk sheds and construction fencing throughout the five boroughs. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has issued an open call for artists for 2024 through 2025 as part of its City Canvas program, which installs temporary, large-scale artworks on protective structures to make them more visually appealing.
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December 5, 2019

Construction begins on Fort Greene’s newest cultural center at 300 Ashland Place

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is starting construction on a new cultural center housed within the 32-story tower at 300 Ashland Place in Fort Greene. The new L10 Arts and Cultural Center will span across 50,000 square feet and host a range of institutions, including new gallery and performance spaces for the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), three cinemas for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 ARTS, and a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
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